Insulating pipes.

Wood87.mw · Post by **Wood87.mw** » Sun. Jan. 19, 2020 8:41 am

Thoughts on insulating boiler piping? Recommend insulation? Fiberglass? regular foam?
Running a kaa-4 hot water system. Most of my piping runs on the exterior walls along the top of the basement walls. Basement stays around 60-65 degrees. Boiler is in the basement as is the only source of heat in that area. Just trying to be efficient and maybe save a couple of bucks.

nepacoal · Post by **nepacoal** » Sun. Jan. 19, 2020 11:42 am

I gave a lot of thought to insulating our 2.5 inch converted gravity pipes but in the end decided not to. Our washer and dryer is in the basement and with the boiler completely insulated, our basement stays between 66 and 68.5, depending on the OAT and wind. I'm guessing it would drop more than 10 degrees if I insulated all the pipes.

Post by **Rob R.** » Sun. Jan. 19, 2020 12:42 pm

If the basement is warmer than you want, insulating the pipes will help. I like the fiberglass insulation with the paper/foil outer jacket, but the foam stuff is definitely better than nothing.

With that said, if the basement is only in the low 60's I would probably be installing a radiator rather than insulating the pipes.

franpipeman · Post by **franpipeman** » Sun. Jan. 19, 2020 1:51 pm

there is also rigid foam insulation with pvc jacket it prevents mildew in summer humid condition but is very expensive highest r value also

https://www.gltproducts.com/user/products/20194/i ... 1436555624

Post by **Richard S.** » Sun. Jan. 19, 2020 5:39 pm

Be aware that common insulation melts at higher temps, my Dad's boiler was acting up getting up above 210+ and he ended up melting it.

Post by **coaledsweat** » Sun. Jan. 19, 2020 6:11 pm

I would never use foam on boiler plumbing. Even if it doesn't melt it won't live very long. Some of it is rated to 220° but it won't like seeing it to often or very long.

Post by **Richard S.** » Sun. Jan. 19, 2020 7:04 pm

coaledsweat wrote: ↑
Sun. Jan. 19, 2020 6:11 pm
I would never use foam on boiler plumbing.

I told him to get the better stuff, but he saved a few bucks.

franpipeman · Post by **franpipeman** » Mon. Jan. 20, 2020 7:44 am

Black foam insulation known as armaflex certainly won't hold up with extremes of hot water nor does it hold up to UV exposure
but this link does and doesn't allow water vapor infiltration like humid summer air like fiberglass does (polyisocyanurate ) still expensive

https://www.dyplastproducts.com/data-sheets-isoht

nepacoal · Post by **nepacoal** » Mon. Jan. 20, 2020 7:52 am

The K-flex I purchased from supplyhouse.com for my near boiler piping is rated to 220°

franpipeman · Post by **franpipeman** » Mon. Jan. 20, 2020 8:03 am

I think youll be fine but the flex it may start to harden up after years of being installed. If exposed to uv it will accelerate it but it works fine I would say uv exposure is a greater threat then temperature.
http://www.kflexusa.com/downloads/Technical%20Dat ... k%20DS.pdf

nepacoal · Post by **nepacoal** » Mon. Jan. 20, 2020 8:07 am

It's been installed between the coal and oil boilers for 7 years or so... So far so good. If I did it again, I'd probably use the fiberglass wrapped in white PVC type.

franpipeman · Post by **franpipeman** » Mon. Jan. 20, 2020 8:13 am

I have the fiberglass but its wrapped in white paper kraft paper. being i live in aheavy wooded area and the boiler is in a secondary building non running in the summer just the warm summer air infiltrates the white paper kraft and creates midew. White pvc cover is the answer to that but im using scrap bubble wrap to be a better vapor barrier , white or brown kraft paper is a vapor retardant took me years to learn that lesson.

hotblast1357 · Post by **hotblast1357** » Mon. Jan. 20, 2020 8:50 am

I just ran the black stuff from Lowe’s, works great, this is the second winter now, no problems..

Insulating pipes.

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